


the shore, the sea, the blending of worlds where impossibilities breathe themselves into truth

by rightsidethru



Category: Fairy Tales and Related Fandoms, Iron Man (Comic), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel
Genre: AU, F/M, FrostIron - Freeform, M/M, absolute crack, mermaid!Loki, my brain. srsly., yes you read that correctly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-12-12
Updated: 2012-12-12
Packaged: 2017-11-20 23:05:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/590665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rightsidethru/pseuds/rightsidethru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Once upon a time ago, six year-old Anthony Edward Stark believed he saw a mermaid.</p><p>Nowadays, twenty-one year-old Tony Stark doesn't believe in anything at all.</p><p>Least of all fairy tales.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the shore, the sea, the blending of worlds where impossibilities breathe themselves into truth

**Author's Note:**

> I... honestly don't know where this came from, but... meh. My brain: I have learned to expect the weirdest of things from it.
> 
> I reaaaally don't know how long this will be, but I have a vague mental outline for plot--so hopefully I'll actually finish it. XD;; Prodding does help with that, fyi.
> 
> Also, apologies for the shortness of chapter one. It was written on my phone.

*

The bleached white of the Caribbean sand rubs strangely against the bottoms of Tony's feet: too soft and compacted, finely gritty in the oddest way possible--and the six year-old child cannot help but shiver, goosebumps marching over his tanned skin, at each uncomfortable step. He is almost tempted to move to the tips of his toes to avoid the worst of the sensation, hating the press, the feel, and wishing for the cool metal of his father's workshop.

But New York seems like it's a world away as the too-hot tropical sun beats down upon the Stark heir, and Tony does not stop his idlr yearning for the city, no matter how he _knows_ that they will not leave until the conference is done: a meeting of businessmen, squirreled away from the rest of the world--shady men making equally shady deals, and Tony is already cynical enough at this age to know that his father's company will be worth much, much more once they're back up North. This is not the first time that Tony has accompanied his parents on such trips--and the heavy feeling in his belly tells him that it will not be the last, either.

The boy rubs an already calloused hand over his stomach, toes wriggling in the uncomfortable-feeling sand in an effort to distract himself even as his dark blue gaze flickers over to where his mother lay reclining beneath a large beach umbrella: as composed and as beautiful as ever, despite the humidity and heat both, and Tony smiles and waves at a watching Jarvis--even though his mother never glances his way.

It is nothing new, however, and Tony still cannot stop that faint sinking in his chest even as his arm finally lowers back to his side, expression blanking as the brunette child returns his attention back to the gleaming turqoise expanse of the ocean before him. Not a wave to be found, the reef hidden beneath the surface keeping the water so very, very still--the empty calmness of a held breath, the stretch of time between seconds as the world falls away into blank, ever-stretching peace.

Tony crouches down, small legs bending as he reaches for the snorkeling mask that he'd left on the shoreline earlier that morning, and it is with the heavy weight of Jarvis' hawk-sharp gaze that Tony begins to make his way into the clear water--deeper, slowly, watching the sand kick away from his feet in cloudy flurries--deeper and deeper until Tony has to actually start swimming; his world is vibrantly blue, the heat of the sun beating on his back as bath-warm water cradles the rest of his young body.

The further away from shore he goes and the cooler the water becomes: still not as cold as the beaches in New York, but it's still chill enough to bring back that prickling feeling of goosebumps--ignored, easily enough, when the first of the reef's coral appears beneath him, accompanied by colorful, curious fish.

Ever the scientist, the child reaches out--to touch, to explore, to learn more--and the shyest of the reef fish dart away, though the braver (usually larger) species still linger, just barely out of the brunette's reach. Determined, Tony kicks his legs to venture closer still--just barely managing to brush the tips of his fingers against the side of one of the fish, and the crow of victory comes in an excited stream of bubbles... even as the braver of the reef's inhabitants finally scatter and hide.

Disappointment comes, then, but there is still the rest of the reef to poke around in; and, if nothing else, Tony Stark's curiosity is an unrelenting, unquenchable force.

And though the reef is not his usual puzzle--bits and pieces of machinery and circuits being what the boy is more used to--the reef is still a hub of life and something new filled with discoveries that Tony is already anxious to uncover.

Knowledge is power, the six year-old already knows, and knowledge is something that Anthony Edward Stark clutches onto with an unforgiving grip.

Further away from shore Tony goes, and the deeper the water becomes--

As the shore falls away, disappearing down into the gloom of the midnight-blue depths of the continental shelf--

The child catches sight, just the briefest moment of time, of golden scales and moonlight-pale skin of dark, dark hair... and of gleaming green eyes that offered so very many promises... if only Tony would just reach out.

His hand extends, fingers splayed in sudden, desperate yearning--


End file.
